Question NW210 to the Minister of Health
23 April 2018 - NW210
Lees, Mr RA to ask the Minister of Health
(1)With reference to his reply to question 1263 on 13 December 2017, has the overpayment of R 1 181 977,52 been recovered; if not, why not; if so, what are the details of (a) the repayment and (b) interest charged and paid to date; (2) whether any disciplinary action has been taken and/or criminal charges laid against any persons found to have been involved in the specified overpayment; if not, why was no disciplinary action taken and/or criminal charges laid; if so, what are the details of any disciplinary action taken and/or criminal charges laid against those responsible for the overpayment?
Reply:
(1) (a) The correct overpayment as per response 1263 of December 2017 is R1,196,482.92, not the R1,181,977.52 as stated above. Of the R1,196,482.82, an amount of R826,116.60 was for Commuted Overtime, which the previous response clarified that this was properly authorised and there is no overpayment.
The balance of R370,373.22 was for rural allowance which the official had continued earning even though he had moved to another institution. This is the amount that the employee raised as a grievance through his union that his transfer between the two institutions, included that the new salary package was to compensate the previous rural allowance. This matter as been followed up and no evidence of the agreement has been found. The employee was sent written communication to acknowledge the debt and to respond with a payment plan.
(b) As there had been a grievance that had to be attended, no interest has been charged, as the employee also needs to acknowledge the debt. Only when the debt is captured on BAS, the system will then calculate interest, and only if the debt type is interest bearing
(2) There has been no disciplinary action taken as the grievance needed to be attended to first.
The matter is now being followed up on why the rural allowance was not stopped by HR officials when the transfer was done, and then disciplinary action will be considered against HR officials on not stopping the rural allowance.
END.